Photothermographic material

Abstract

A photothermographic material having, on at least one side of a support, an image forming layer including at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder, wherein an outermost layer on at least one side of the support includes a polymer latex having a core/shell structure, in which a shell part contains a polymer having a monomer component represented by the following (M2): (M2) a monomer containing a fluorine atom and having an unsaturated bond which performs radical polymerization. A photothermographic material excellent in adhesion resistance during storage until use of the photothermographic material after production thereof and excellent in photographic properties is provided.

1. A photothermographic material comprising, on at least one side of a support, an image forming layer comprising at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder, wherein an outermost layer on at least one side of the support comprises a polymer latex having a core/shell structure, in which a shell part contains a polymer having a monomer component represented by the following (M2):
 (M2) a monomer containing a fluorine atom and having an unsaturated bond which performs radical polymerization. 
 
     
     
       2. The photothermographic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the shell part comprises a polymer formed by further copolymerizing a monomer component represented by the following (M1):
 (M1) a monomer having a group forming a salt or a poly(alkylene oxide) group and having an unsaturated bond which performs radical polymerization. 
 
     
     
       3. The photothermographic material according to  claim 2 , wherein the shell part comprises a polymer formed by copolymerizing 5% by weight to 99% by weight of the monomer component represented by (M2) and 1% by weight to 95% by weight of the monomer component represented by (M1). 
     
     
       4. The photothermographic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the monomer component represented by (M2) is selected from the group consisting of a fluorine atom-containing acrylate, a derivative thereof, a fluorine atom-containing methacrylate, and a derivative thereof. 
     
     
       5. The photothermographic material according to  claim 4 , wherein the monomer component represented by (M2) is a monomer component represented by the following formula (P):
   (Rf) p —L—OCOC(R)═CH 2    Formula (P) 
 wherein Rf represents a fluoroalkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 41 fluorine atoms; p represents 1 or 2; L represents a linking group containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms or a hydrocarbylene group; and R represents one selected from a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. 
 
     
     
       6. The photothermographic material according to  claim 1 , wherein a core part of the polymer latex having the core/shell structure comprises a polymer formed by homopolymerizing or copolymerizing monomer components selected from the group consisting of acrylate, methacrylate, styrene, conjugated diene, vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, vinylidene chloride, and olefin. 
     
     
       7. The photothermographic material according to  claim 6 , wherein a glass transition temperature of the polymer in the core part of the polymer latex is from −30° C. to 70° C. 
     
     
       8. The photothermographic material according to  claim 6 , wherein a glass transition temperature of the polymer in the core part of the polymer latex is from −10° C. to 35° C. 
     
     
       9. The photothermographic material according to  claim 1 , wherein a mass ratio of the core part relative to the shell part in the polymer latex is from 50/50 to 95/5. 
     
     
       10. The photothermographic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer latex is contained in an outermost layer which is disposed on the side of the support having thereon the image forming layer. 
     
     
       11. The photothermographic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer latex is contained in an outermost layer which is disposed on the opposite side of the support from the side having thereon the image forming layer. 
     
     
       12. The photothermographic material according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer latex is contained in an outermost layer which is disposed on the side of the support having thereon the image forming layer and in an outermost layer which is disposed on the opposite side of the support from the side having thereon the image forming layer. 
     
     
       13. The photothermographic material according to  claim 1 , wherein a layer adjacent to the outermost layer comprises a binder which gelates. 
     
     
       14. The photothermographic material according to  claim 1 , wherein a layer adjacent to the outermost layer comprises a water-soluble polymer, which is not derived from animal protein, and a gelling agent. 
     
     
       15. The photothermographic material according to  claim 14 , wherein the layer adjacent to the outermost layer contains a gelation accelerator.